Machine for handling canned goods



Oct. 18, c. B STRETCH MACHINE FOR HANDLING CANNED GOODS Filed March 6,1931 5 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR Q ATTORNEYS Oct. C B STRETCH 1,883,078

MACHINE FOR HANDLING CANNED GOODS Filed March 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Och 3 c. B. STRETCH 1,833,078

MACHINE FOR HANDLING CANNED GOODS Filgd March 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 1932i c. B. STRETCH 1,883,078

MACHINE FOR HANDLING CANNED Goons}:

Filed March 6, 1931 --:-'.}5sn ,ts-sheet 4 Oct. 18, 1932. c. B. STRETCH1,883,078

MACHINE FOR HANDLING CANNED GQODS Filed March 6, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 5ATTODNEYg 3.! z 7 4 a I 4 6 7 6 7 m "m. w M wwmww m Patented Oct. 18,1932 UNITED STATES CARL B. STRETCH, OF BRIDGE'I'ON, NEW JERSEY MACHINEFOR HANDLING CANNED GOODS Application filed March 6,

This invention relates to an improved ma chine for handling cannedgoods, of such a design that the canned goods will be carried to andthrough a discharge opening of a chute, and deposited on a conveyor (notshown), which in turn will carry the canned goods to an automatic boxeror to a labeling machine.

In canning factories, after the canned goods leave the canning machinesit is neces sary to pack the canned goods in boxes or crates, and tofacilitate this work it is the purpose of the present invention toprovide a machine for arranging the canned goods in sequential order, sothat they may be easily carried on a conveyor to a point to be packed.In other words the canned goods may be emptied into a hopper chaoticalland from which they are carried by a conveyor up wardly to a compartmentof the machine and automatically deposited upon a second conveyor, andthen upon a vibrating or shaking cradle, the various cans tumbling orfalling over each other during this course, and as the canned goods arepassing through the ma chine, they become gradually and automaticallyarranged in order lying down on their sides, so that they can be easilyand conveniently in sequential order carried to a point to be packed.

In handling the canned goods, the invention'has .for its purpose toprovide means to retard the canned goods periodically, before they passon to feed rolls, which act toplace the cans one behind the other, on toa third conveyor, which carry the canned goods to a chute, through whichthey pass inlying down positions.

When the canned goods are passing from the feed rolls on a conveyor,some are lying down and some are/standing on end, and in this instanceit is the aim to arrange all the cans in a lying down position on thecon veyor. At :a point beyond the feed rolls abutment means is providedto knock those 1931. Serial no. 520,697.

cans which are standing on their end over upon the sides. To facilitatethis the machine also includes means to retard the cans one at a time,while a preceding can is being tilted: over upon its side. The reasonfor rctarding a can at this point is to prevent the can being tiltedfrom striking the can in the rear. 1

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are no waylimitative, and

that while still keeping within the scope of the invention, any desiredmodification of details and proportions may be made in the constructionof the appliance according tocircumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts tobehereinaiter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improvedmachine for handling canned goods from the canning machine to a point orlocation where the canned goods are packed for shipment, illustrating ahopper and a portion of a conveyor immediately adjoining the receivingcompartment of the machine proper, the machine being constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1 ting the hopper shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4.- is a sectional View on line 4-4 of Figure 2, more clearlyshowing the passage of the canned goods through the receivingcompartment.

Figure 5 is a sectional View on line 55 of Figure 1 illustrating thescrew feed rolls as well as the carrier belts in the guide channels forthe canned goods.

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the channel way of themachine, at a point'beyond the screw feed rolls, illustrating theintermittent operating checking means for the canned goods in itspassage.

omit- Lyl Figure 7 is a side elevation of Figure 6. Flgure 8 1s anenlarged sectional perspective of a retarding gate or device at one ending from the receiving compartment to and between the screw feed rolls.

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the terminal of thechute where the cans are discharged in order to be packed.

Referring to the drawings 1 identifies the base frame of the machine forhandling canned goods, and this frame merges into a superimposed frame 2which includes a can ned goods receiving compartment 3, and to bedisposed a requisite distance from one end of the machine is a hopper 4,which receives the canned goods in a chaotic order from any conventionaltype of canning machine (not shown). In the lower part of the hopper 4the lower end of an inclined conveyor 5 has its operating roll 6journaled in bearings of the hopper, in such wise as to receive andconvey the canned goods upwardly and out of the hopper. Supportingbrackets 7 are carried by one end of the superimposed frame 2, andjournaled in bearings thereon is the upper operating roll 8 of theconveyor 5. A suitable inclined guide 9 extends from a point immediatelyadjacent the roll 8, for guiding the canned goods into the receivingcompartment of the superimposed frame.

Mounted in the receiving compartment is a horizontal conveyor 10, therolls 11 of which are ournaled in bearings 12 on the interior of thecompartment. This conveyor is immediately adjacent one end of the guide9, so that when the canned goods reaches the end of the guide theydeposit onto the conveyor which carries the goods to a shaking cradle13, which is pivoted at one end adjacent one end of the conveyor 10.

This shaking cradle may be of any conventional construction, though itcomprises a frame 15 and a flooring 16. The end 17 of the flooring ofthe cradle terminates in a plurality of varying lengths of fingers, thepurpose of which is to deliver the canned goods to and between the screwguide rolls 70 and 71 at different points. In other words some of thefingers act to deposit the canned goods immediately at one end of thescrew guide rolls, While the medium length of fingers deliver certainother of the canned goods a slight distance beyond, whereas the maximumlength of fingers deliver certain other of the canned goods a greaterdistance beyond at a point adjacent the base portion of the superimposedframe 2. Just above the under frame structure a crank shaft 19 isjournaled in bearings 20, and connected to the cranks 21 thereof arelinks 22, which in turn are pivoted at 23 to blocks 24 bolted orotherwise secured to angle beams 25, which constitute reinforcings forthe frame 15 of the siaking cradle. Obviously when the crank shaft 19rotates, the links impart up and down movements to one end of thecradle, acting to shake or vibrate the canned goods in order to arrangethem in symmetrical order as much as possible.

In order to prevent the canned goods from leaving the cradle too rapidlya suitable retarding gate 26 is provided at one end of the receivingcompartment. This gate is pivoted at 27 and is adapted to move tovarying open positions as will be hereinafter obvious; Carried by thelower edge of this retarding gate is a buffer foot piece 28, which isprovit ed with a rubber head 29 shown clearly in Figures 4 and 8. Theends of this buffer foot piece are mounted in the guides 30, which arecarried by the end edges of the gate. The foot piece is carried by theheaded rods 31 which pass through the thickness of the gate as shown at32, and the ends of the headed rods terminate in openings formed in theThe ends of the headed rods have retaining nuts 34, which can beadjusted to limit the downward movement of the rods and therefore limitthe downward movement of the buffer foot piece. yields upwardlyaccording to the position of the gate and according to the number ofcanned goods passinguuder the foot piece. Suitable springs 35 areconnected to the plates 36 carried by the gate, and in turn con ected tothe pins 37 projecting from the sides of the receiving compartment 3.These springs tension the gate and act to prevent the gate from toofreely opening. Journaled in bearings of the under base frame structure1 is a shaft 88 provided witha pull 3 39 thereon and having "ms 40 onits opposite ends, there being a belt 41 passing about the pull y, forthe purpose of transmitting power to the shaft.

In bearings of the lower part of the frame 1 a shaft 42 is journaled,and on one extreme end of the shaft a drive pulley 43 is carried,adapted to receive power from any suitable source, such as a motor orthe like (not shown). Also on the shaft 42 near the center thereof apulley 44 is mounted and about which the belt 41 travels. This belt 41in turn passes about the pulley 39. In this manner power is transmittedto the shaft 38.

Pivotcd to the arm-40 and to an ear of an angle plate 46 on the gate isa pitm'an 47, and by means of this connection, when the shaft 38 rotatesmovements are imparted to the gate, allowin it to move to varying openpositions against the action of the springs 35. In this manner thepassage of canned goods from the shaking cradle may be controlled, thatis the rapidity with which the canned goods may pass from the cradle toand between the screw guide rolls. v

lhe retarding gate has auxiliary retard- Obviously the footpiece mgelements 48, which are hinged at 49 to the inner face ofthe gate 26, asshown clearly in Figures 3 and 4. These elements are located more orless in position adjacent the ends of the minimum length of fingers 50of the shaking cradle, while the gate 26 operates more in conjunctionwith the medium and .maxinnun length of fingers 51 and 52, to controlthe passage of the canned goods. Suitable curved rods 53 are carried bythe gate 26 and engage through the auxiliary retarding elements 48, andsurrounding the rods intermediate the elements 48 and the gate 26 arecoil springs 54, which act to tension the elements 48 and hold themagainst the circular abutment plates 56.. The abutment elements 48 willtherefore yield in the direction of the gate 26, according to the numberof canned goods passing along the shaking cradle.

.The connecting rods 47 each comprising two sections 57 and 58, thelatter being pivoted to the plate 46 on the gate while the former ispivoted to the arm 40 and is telescopically united in a tubular portion59 of the latter. The purpose of this connection is that the arm 40operates to move the rod in the direction of the arrow (1, and therebytend to open the gate 26, due to there being a certain amount offrictional contact between the tubular portion 59 of the section 58 andthe section 57 on the return movement of the arm, the springs 35 act toreturn the gate toward its closed position. The co-operation of theparts of the rod 47 together with the springs 35 act to so control thegate 2621s to prevent clogging of the canned goods in its passage alongand when leaving the cradle.

Mounted on the frame 1 just beyond the discharge of the compartment 3and substantially immediately below the fingers of the cradle arechannel guides or troughs 60 and 61, which consistof the remote inclinedguide walls 62 and the intermediate inclined guide walls 63. The lowerportions 64 of the guide channels or troughs have parallel guide walls.Supports 65 and 66 support the inclined walls 62 and 63.

In suitable bearings 67 on the frame 1 at the ends of the guide channelsor troughs are shafts 68 and 69 carrying screw rolls 70 and 71.Extending spirally around the circumference of the rolls are ribs 72,which are V shaped in cross section. The screw rolls 7 are in pairs, andthe V shaped ribs act to distribute the canned goods on the conveyor 73, which feeds them toward the chutes 74.

The rear ends of certain of the shafts 68 and 69 are provided withpulleys 75, while the rear ends of certain other of the shafts 68 and 69have pulleys 76. The pulleys and 76 in pairs are connected by the bolts77. Adjacent the pulleys on the ends of certain of the shafts 68 and 69pulleys 78 and 79 are mounted, and these pulleys are connected by belts80 and 81 topulleys 82 on the shaft 42, which carries the drive pulley43, and thereby in this manner imparting movement to the shafts 68 and69 and therefore the screw rolls 7 0 and 71, which rotate in thedirection of the arrows b. These-screw rolls act to distribute thecanned goods on to the conveyor belts 7 3, the conveyor belts 7 3operate to carry the canned goods toward chutes 74.

J ournaled in bearings 83 of the frame 1 are shafts 84 and 85 whichcarry pulleys 86, about which the conveyor belts 73 operate for carryingthe canned goods toward the chutes 74. On one end of theshaft 84 apulley 87 is carried, engaged by a belt 88, which in turn passes about apulley 89 on the shaft 42, for the purpose of transmitting power to theconveyor belt 73. 7

On one end of the shaft 19 a pulley .90 is mounted, and engagingtherewith is a belt 91, which passes about a pulley 92 on the shaft 42,thereby transmitting motion to the shaft 19 and hence to the shakingcradle, for

the purpose of agitating the canned goods on r the cradle.

It is obvious that when the canned goods enter the guide channels ortroughs 60 and 61 and finally are carried by the conveyor belts 73, someof them will be lying down and some standingon end. Therefore it is pthe purpose to cause such of the canned goods to lie down on theconveyor belt, and in order to accomplish this it is necessary to notonly keep the canned goods separated properly at a point before theyleave the conveyor belt 73, but also to retard certain of the cannedgoods, while a precedingcan is being tilted over on its side by means ofa yieldable abutment 93.

The opposed walls 94 of the lower parts of the guide channels or troughshave extension side walls 95, as in Figures 4 and 6, and as also shownin Figures 2 and 4, and formed in one of each of these extension sidewalls 95 is an openin 96, as more clearly shown in Figures 6 and throughthe wall are pins or rods 97 and 98. On the pin or rod 97 an arm 99 isfixed, and on the lower end of the pin or red 97 a coil springv 100 ismounted, the construction and arrangement of which is such as to tensionthe rod or pin 97 and hold the'arm 99 against-a stop pin 101, the arm 99protruding through the slot or opening 96 in the path of'one of thecanned goods. On the upperend of the pin or rod 98 an arm 102 is fixed,while the lower end of the rod or pin 98 carries a coil spring 103, theconstruction and arrangement of which is such as to hold the arm 1.02normally against the stop pin. 104. Hinged at 105 to each wall having aslot or opening 96 is a holding detent 106,which is tensioned by thelock spring 107. By referring to Figures 6 and 7 the slot or opening 96has an intermediate wall 108, thereby dividing the opening 7, andpassing vertically or slot 96 in two portions 109 and 110. Journaled onthe pin or rod 98 and located in the portion 110 01": the slot oropening 96 is a cam 111, the action or" which is to retain the hold ingdetent 106 in a normal position as indicated in dotted lines in Figure6, that is to say when there are no canned goods passing through hechannel. In other words while the springs 100 and 103 are in weal:tension, just enough to hold the arms 99 and 102 in contact with thestop pins 101 and 1, the spring 103 is of sufiicien tension to overcomethe action of he loch spring 107 and hereby retain the holding dotent inthe position indicated in dotted lines at 112.

As the canned goods pass through exten sion portions of the channelguides or troughs, that is those portions caused to be formed by thewalls 95, those that are lying down on their sides, and particularlyshould it be the very first one, it i engage with the arm 09 and passunder me arm 102. However should the very canned goods be standing onits ens and the next one lying down, the one s I n its end will sweep bythe action of the spring 100, a:. arm 102, moving spring 103, hence ofthe way of the ho ing the detent t mo of the arm 99, i i to prevent thea canned goods as in Fi canned goods standing on on to travel owing tobeing conve 73, moving thee 1 102 s c' the can will pass can goodsstanding on end reachex cam 111 out .nt 106, all owot the body s ehposition and by the til ie t hill; the an d has abutment back 0:), thearm 102 has moved in engagem i e stop pm 101, and consequentl caused thecam 111 to remove i. of the ar the arm 09. l c three ilCljZlCQRl] cannedgoods on end approaching the 99 and then the arm 102 the actions of thearms are identical in 15 onend and the ic ieo. ard

ed b the free and un- The abutment J 1 the and passes tl o k er andunattached portion 111. tensions the abutment, to hold it tion shown inFigures'1 and essors when one of the canned goods strikes the abutmentit will yield to a certain extent against the action of the spring 116.

The chute 71 extends slightly beyond one end of the frame 1, and whenthe canned good reaches the terminal of the chute it dischargestherefrom at a point identified at 118, which is no more or less than anopening. This opening 118 is formed by one of the bars or the chuteterminating at 119. The various bars forming the side walls of the chute7- 1 held in spaced positions in cylindrical formation by rings 121 and122, which are in turn bolted to the bars. It will be noted that one ofthe bars having the free and unattached portion 114 has its extremitybeyond the ring 122 bent downwardly at 123 with its bent extremity 12 1bolted at 125 to the ring 122. A buffer 126 is located at the end of thechute 7 1 immediately in close position to th ring 122. This buffer isoperatiyely associated 'ith the bent portion 123 of one of the bars, andis conveniently spring tensioned at 127, so that when each of the cannedgoods reaches the opening 118 it will strike the buffer to relieve theforce of travel, anc then drop through the opening 118, upon a suitableconveyor (not shown) so that the goods can be carried to an automaticboxing or crating machine. When the canned goods drop through theopening they will fall on their sides upon such conveyor. The

shaft of the operating roll 8 around which 1111' conveyor belt 5 passeshas at one of lts pulley 129, with which a belt 130 ongages. he belt 130in turn engages with and operates a pulley 128 on the end of one of therolls 11. It is obvious that the shaft of the roll 6 may receive powerfrom any suitable source, which is transmitted to the belt 5 and thenceto the belt 130 and the conveyor 10. w

'1 he invention having been set forth,what is claimed is:

1. In a machine for handling canned goods, :1 f me having a receivingcompartment and provided with m ans for delivering the canned goodschaotically thereinto, said compertinenthaving a. discharge end anagitatcrac le constituting the bottom of the compertinent for agitatingthe canned goods toward the discharge end, means for regulating s of thecanned goods through the dis :e end, said frame having guide chanortroughs just beyond the discharge end, e enl portion of the agitatingcradle adjacent the discharge end having means for regulating the cannedgoods into the channels or troughs in substantial equal quantities,conveying chutes beyond an communieating with the guide channels ortroughs for receiving the canned goods, and means in said channelsjustprior to reaching the chutes for arranging the canned goods insequential order lying on their sides, whereby they may enter the chutesend for end, said means at the end edge of the cradle comprising varyinglengths of fingers.

2. In a machine for handling canned goods, a frame having a receivingcompartment and provided with means for delivering the canned goodschaotically thereinto, said coinpartment having a discharge end anagitating cradle constituting the bottom of the compartment foragitating th canned goods toward the discharge end, means for regulatingpassage of the canned goods through the discharge end, said frame havingguide channels or troughs just beyond the discharge end, the end portionof the agitating cradle adjacent the dischar e end having means forregulating the canned goods into the channels or troughs in substantialequal quantities, conveying chutes beyond and communicating With theguide channels or troughs for receiving the canned goods, and means insaid channels just prior to reaching the chutes for arranging the cannedgoods in sequential order lying on their sides, whereby they may enterthe chutes end for end, said means at the end edge of the cradlecomprising varying lengths of fingers, and means in the guide channelsor troughs for feeding the canned goods t-herethrough, and unitary meansoperat-ively connecting with the cradle and the feeding means fortransmitting motion thereto.

8. In a machine for handling canned goods, a frame having a receivingcompartment and provided with means for delivering the canned goodschaoticallythereinto, said compartment having a discharge end anagitating cradle constituting the bottom of the compartment foragitating the canned goods toward the discharge end, means forregulating passage of the canned goods through the discharge end, saidframe having guide channels or troughs just beyond the discharge end,the end portion of the agitatin cradle adjacent the discharge end havingmeans for regulating the canned goods into the channels or troughs insubstantial equal quantities, conveying chutes beyond and communicatingwith the guide channels or troughs for receiving the canned goods, andmeans in said channels just prior to reaching the chutes for arrangingthe canned goods in sequential order lying on their sides, whereby theymay enter the chutes end for end, said means at the end edge of thecradle comprising varying lengths of fingers, the construction andarrangement of the troughs or channels at a point substantially adjacentthe fingers being such as to permit the canned goods to enter thetroughs in substantial equal amounts.

4. In a machine for handling canned goods, a frame having a receivingcompartment and provided with means for delivering the canned goodschaotically thereinto,

said compartment having a discharge end an agitating cradle constitutingthe bottom of the compartment for agitating the canned goods toward tiiedischarge end, means for regulating passage of the canned goods throughthe discharge end, said frame having guid channels or troughs justbeyond the discharge end, the end portion of the agitating cradleadjacent the discharge end having means for regulating the canned goodsinto the channels or troughs in substantial equal quantities, conveyingchutes beyond and communicating with the guide channels or troughs forreceiving the canned goods, and means in said channels just prior toreaching the chutes for arranging the canned goods in sequential orderlying on their sides, whereby they may enter the chutes end for end, andmeans in the guide channels or troughs for feeding the canned goodsthere through, and unitary means operatively connecting with the cradleand the feeding means for transmitting motion thereto, the

construction and arrangement of the troughs or channels at a pointsubstantially adjacent the discharge end of the cradle being such as topermit the canned goods to enter the troughs in substantial equalamounts.

5. In a machine for handling canned goods, a frame having a receivingcompart ment for the canned goods, and means for delivering the cannedgoods chaotically into the compartment, said compartment having adischarge end, guide channels or troughs just beyond and slightly belowthe discharge end, yieldably mounted gates in the discharge end, anagitating cradle constituting the bottom of the compartment foragitating the canned goods toward the discharge end, the end of thecradle adjacent the discharge end having varying lengths of fingersacting to co-operate with the gates for regulating the canned goods insubstantial equal amounts into the guide channels or troughs, feed meansin the channels or troughs, chutes beyond and communicating with theguide channels or troughs, and means in the guide channels or troughsfor arranging the cans in sequential lying down positions on the feedmeans just prior to entering the chutes.

6. In a machine for handling canned goods, a frame having a receivingcompartment for the canned goods, and means for delivering the cannedgoods chaotically into the compartment, said compartment having adischarge end, guide channels or troughs just beyond and slightly belowthe discharge end, yieldably mounted gates in the discharge end, anagitating cradle constituting the bottom of the compartment foragitating the canned goods toward the discharge end, the end of thecradle adjacent the discharge end having varying lengths of fingersacting to co-operate with the gates for regulating the canned goods insubstantial equal amounts into the guide channels or troughs, feed meansin the channels or troughs, chutes beyond and communicating with theguide channels or troughs, and means in the guide channels or troughsfor arranging the cans in sequential lying down positions on the feedmeans just prior to entering the chutes, and means for operating thegates to Varying open positions to insure regulating the Canned gooclsinto substantial equal amounts when discharging into the channels ortroughs.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CARL B. STRETCH.

